Respective Identities
by Sullys Sidekick
Summary: June 2011 short story challenge. *AR* The idea is to combine certain photos in a logical way. Screen cap 1 - Michaela, disguised as a man, glancing downward with concerned expression.  Screen cap 2 - Jake and Loren in women's dresses, wigs, and bonnets.


RESPECTIVE IDENTITIES

By: Tess Thieler

June 2011 DQ Challenge

***Note from author -

This is a Dr. Mike and Sully alternative way to have met story. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it to connect the challenge pictures.

"Happy reading!"

Another month and another trek into town. This was the fifth time now and it wasn't getting any easier. "I can't believe I have to stoop to this level," Mike uttered aloud while tugging the mule she bought to help haul her gold. Yes, gold – and plenty of it. Being a prospector and panning for gold never entered her mind until she needed money to purchase land in Colorado to set up a hospital. Maybe then she could have patients that would believe in a woman doctor. Stopping at a small stream, she allowed the packed mule to take on water. Mike scowled at her reflection. "Patients my eye," she muttered to the wind. If any of her future patients would see her like this, and know the truth, they'd throw her in a sanitarium.

Dressing as a man was the only way she knew to keep other lonely male prospectors at a safe distance. If they knew she was a woman, out there on the frontier… alone… she shuddered at the thought. She even slept with a shot gun.

Mike successfully fooled every man that crossed her path - every man except for Byron Sully that is. The fact that she didn't fool him with her disguise for one second unnerved her at first, but the keen, very observant, reclusive mountain man kept to himself, until recently. Over the past four months he stopped by a few times a month to say hello, then seemingly once a week, and now almost daily. He promised to keep her secret identity to himself, but sometimes when he stayed long into the evening after sharing a supper, he'd slide her working gloves off to hold her hand. Later, he'd place a gentle kiss upon it when he said good-night.

Mike missed him on the days he stayed away to check his snare line knowing that the longing in her heart surely revealed she was falling in love. It was bound to happen… a lone woman and a lone man keeping company, sharing their pasts, their hopes and dreams, even their frustrations and fears. Mike knew he was fond of her even if he hadn't actually kissed her yet. She sometimes daydreamed about what it would feel like. The thought made her breathless. Remembering her reflection in the stream, she shook her head. Who was she kidding? If she wanted to deepen her budding relationship with Sully, she'd have to start looking like a real woman. All in due time. A few months more and she should have enough cash to buy property and start that hospital – that was her dream.

A short time later, Mike entered the small town where she always took her gold to be weighed at the mercantile. This town was strange. In it lived some of the homeliest women Mike ever laid eyes on. They were becoming friendly – too friendly, and this made her uneasy with suspicion. Gathering her resilience, she silently prepared for yet another confrontation with two of these odd women. Clearing her throat, she focused on her disguise. It was time to deepen her voice. Untying one of the 2 sacks from her mule's pack, she heaved it onto her shoulder.

"Here he comes, here he comes!" Loren excitedly shouted, catching sight of their monthly visitor approaching the mercantile steps. "And right on time too – never fails."

Jake eagerly rubbed his greedy hands together. "Sure hope this time all THIS ain't for nothin'," he complained while swiping a hand at the skirt of his dress.

"Stop yer whinin'. I'm the one who lent you the dress in the first place so I'm already out some money. Now straighten that bonnet and lay it on thick this time."

Jake cleared his throat and prepared for the farce. Anything to get the location of that gold claim.

Mike trudged into the store and as expected, the two ladies who hounded her in the past were there chatting as usual. The older one approached her as she deposited the sack next to the register.

"Mike dear – so glad to see you again," the elderly one garbled out in false sincerity.

Hello Lora… Jane." Deep down, Mike realized that they only wanted to know the location of the claim. "Just bringing in this month's findings," she uttered in her deepest voice. "Got another one tied to my mule. Be right back."

"Oh Jane, come see!" the gray-haired woman exclaimed as the prospector left to retrieve the other sack.

The taller lady closed the distance to the register, but waited to reply until Mike re-entered the store and set another heavy sack on the counter. "Looks like Mike sure knows how to pan for gold." She batted her eyelashes in a flirtatious manner. "I've never seen anyone pan **real **gold before… could I watch you some time?"

Choosing to ignore the question, Mike asked one of her own in the manliest tone she could muster. "Where's the storekeeper? Got to get this all weighed up and cashed in so I can get back before nightfall."

Jane stepped closer. "Your claim's not far from here then?"

Mike lowered the brim of her hat. "Far enough."

"Well honey," the wrinkled one began, "Don't you worry none about your gold." Lora patted the panhandler's gloved hand with her weathered one. "My brother Loren asked me to watch the store for him today while he picked up some things in Denver."

Glancing from one homely woman then the other, Mike challenged, "Seems to me he did that last month when I was here, and then the month before that, too."

"He always asks Lora to watch the store for him when he goes away," claimed the big boned one.

The older woman displayed a toothy grin while the taller woman leaned in close to Mike's ear.

"Say, I'll bet it gets kind of lonely out there… how about if I stop by and bring supper sometime."

Mike tried not to panic. "Thank you, Jane, but I don't have time for visitors." She kept her eyes diverted to Lora, watching the older lady check the contents of the sacks and then weigh them. It didn't deter the larger woman one bit.

"Oh, but you have to eat, don't you?"

Mike shrugged, still not making eye contact with the overly friendly female. "Not much, but I appreciate your offer all the same."

"Well, I'd appreciate gettin' to know ya a little better." She placed her large hand on Mike's shoulder. "You're kind of cute."

Mike froze. At being nearly twice her size, this woman felt intimidating. Not wanting a confrontation, she strived for an acceptable answer that hopefully wouldn't hurt Jane's feelings. "I'll think about it."

Jane removed her hand. "That would be nice. You do that."

Lora pulled out a piece of paper and wrote up a receipt. "That's $230.00 this time, Mike. Would you like that in store credit?"

"Cash please."

"Let me see if I have enough…"

For Mike, the cash couldn't be counted fast enough.

"We're good – here ya go."

"Thank you. See you next month then."

The flirty one touched Mike's arm. "We're counting on it."

Lora and Jane followed the prospector outside. Jane boldly blew a kiss. Gathering her mule's rope, Mike moved toward the center of the street and spied a true friend. Sully.

Catching sight of him walking toward her made her heart skip a beat, but she couldn't show it. She had to maintain her masculine identity. "What brings you to town?"

He smiled inwardly at her tone. "Thought I'd get some pie at Grace's. Care to join me?"

Relaxed now, Mike breathed easily. "That'd be nice."

Sully glanced passed Mike's shoulder and frowned. "Are those the homely women you've been tellin' me about? The ones that keep botherin' ya?"

Mike didn't even have to look behind her to check. "Yes."

"I should have known." He recognized the men beneath the feminine disguise as easily as he saw through Mike's only months ago. "Mind if I take care of them for ya?"

"Be my guest."

Taking a noticeable breath, Sully then caught her gaze. "You trust me, Mike, right?"

"Yes, of course... more than anyone." She looked at him inquisitively. "What are you planning to do?"

His lips curved into a subtle grin. "Just this-"

Pulling Mike into his arms, Sully kissed her soundly right there in the middle of the street. Completely forgetting that she was dressed as a man, Mike allowed their first kiss to completely envelope her. A whirl of emotions raced through her mind, her heart happily flip-flopped as these longed for cherished seconds ticked slowly by.

When they parted Sully chanced a quick glance in the direction of their observers. Their gaping jaws hung open in supreme disgust. Good. Wrapping his arm around Mike's shoulders he escorted her to Grace's for pie. "I don't think those strange _ladies_ will be botherin' ya anymore."


End file.
